New law needed to form Hindu endowment boards, says Ramasamy

GEORGE TOWN: The federal government has been urged to enact laws for the setting up of Hindu Endowment Boards (HEB) in states with sizeable Hindu communities.

Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy, who is also Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairman, said the HEB could play a vital role in looking after the interest of Hindus nationwide.

“The establishment of HEBs in various states would provide for the upkeep of Hindu temples, graveyards, land issues and other related matters,” he said during a press conference called by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to announce the newly elected and re-elected Penang Hindu Endowment Board ( PHEB) commissioners for 2018/2019 at his office in Komtar yesterday.

Dr Ramasamy said at present, Penang HEB was the only such organisation in existence in the country, noting that before Merdeka, there were three HEBs in Penang, Singapore and Melaka, under the then Malaya.

He said Penang’s HEB was formed in 1906 under the former British colonial government of the Straits Settlements of Penang, Melaka and Singapore.

Dr Ramasamy said he was targeting Kedah, Perak, Negri Sembilan, Johor, Melaka and Pahang for the establishment of the HEB.

He noted that since the Federal Constitution did not allow the formation of HEBs at the state level, a body formed through an Act in Parliament would be the best way to do so.

“We have a legal panel that is studying the process as it is part of the Pakatan Harapan manifesto to create HEBs throughout the country,” he said,

The Penang HEB currently manages 12 temples, three Hindu burial grounds and other related properties in the state.